The deadline of 16th May to enter the national Wood Awards – the UK’s premier award scheme with over 40 years of supporting excellence in architecture and furniture in the world’s only naturally sustainable material – is fast approaching.
With permission from the owner, anyone associated with an eligible building or furniture project completed in the last two years and not entered before, can enter. The aim of the Wood Awards is to recognise, encourage and promote outstanding design, craftsmanship and installation using wood in projects throughout the UK and Northern Ireland.
The main categories for the Wood Awards 2014 are:
• Commercial & Public Access
• Private
• Small Project
• Structural
• Existing Buildings
• Bespoke Furniture
• Production Made Furniture
The Wood Awards top accolade, the Arnold Laver Gold Award, goes to the overall winner of winners. It is free to enter. More details, including criteria, information on each of the categories and the online entry form where you can save your progress, are available on www.woodawards.com.
Entrants don’t even have to be shortlisted to benefit from entering the Wood Awards. The competition provides the opportunity for British furniture designers, makers and manufacturers, architects, contractors and joinery companies’ social media presence to grow by featuring all entries on the Wood Awards Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest sites. This online exhibition of entries gives entrants the opportunity to increase their profile before the shortlist is even considered.
Once the shortlist and winners are chosen, the Wood Awards becomes a platform for extensive media exposure for shortlisted and winning entrants and companies involved. The shortlist is exhibited at 100% Design in September, the biggest exhibition during London Design Festival, as well as other exhibitions throughout the year, and the winners become the standard bearers for excellence in wood in architecture and furniture design.
The Wood Awards is made possible by the major sponsorship of the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the Carpenters’ Company, Wood for Good and TRADA. Other sponsors include American Softwoods, BRE and the Forestry Commission. New from 2014 is the combined sponsorship of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) and the return of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) as a supporter. The Wood Awards Gold Award is sponsored by Arnold Laver.
Build your reputation in wood and enter the Wood Awards. It is free to enter and the closing deadline is 16th May. See www.woodawards.com for details.